I found this lovely wee site recently, Ghost Signs UK, charting the heritage and erosion of town landscapes by taking photos of the handpainted signs which now crumble and decay on old walls, waiting for demolition. This site has examples from around the world. They are all rather sad and beautiful.
For years I've enjoyed the wee sign above, just across the street from the park where I played growing up, and round the corner from my first wee flat. I've walked passed it a million times, but even in my earliest memories, I can't recall the actual "market garden" being in operation.. When I was growing up, it had the distinction of being right next to one of the two haunted houses in the area, I remember it as a crumbling town house, with traditional overgrown garden and creaky gate, but there's a fair chance I'm filling in some details there. What I do know, is that of the two haunted houses, it's the one I was too scared to go into. It had the ghost of a hanged girl inside apparently.
Quite safe now though, the house got knocked down and its all been grassed over.
She waits.
Pale grey against
The faded green
Of the gapsite grass.
They pass,
Blinking in the sun
And she points silently
At each one.
Wishing them undone.
